> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.contractor-co-pilot.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Track leads through your sales pipeline

> Use the client pipeline to move leads from first contact to active work, set follow-up dates, add stage notes, and filter your entire book of business.

The client pipeline gives you a visual view of where every prospect and client stands in your sales process. It's separate from the estimate pipeline — this view is about the relationship stage, not the deal stage — so you can track someone from their very first call through to a long-term active account.

## Pipeline views

### Board view (Kanban)

The default board view organizes clients into columns by stage. You can drag and drop client cards between columns to update their stage as the relationship progresses.

| Stage                  | What it means                                          |
| ---------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Prospect**           | A new lead you've identified but haven't yet engaged   |
| **Active Negotiation** | In conversations, reviewing scope, or estimating work  |
| **Won**                | The client has awarded you work                        |
| **Lost**               | You did not win this job or the relationship went cold |

### Summary view

Switch to the summary view for a flat table of all clients with sortable columns — name, stage, deal value, and last activity. Useful when you want to scan your whole pipeline quickly or sort by value.

## Adding a new lead

Click **Add Lead** to create a new prospect in the pipeline. Enter the client's contact details and they'll appear in the **Prospect** column ready for your next action.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Click Add Lead">
    Find the **Add Lead** button at the top of the pipeline board or summary view.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter the lead details">
    Fill in the company name and at least one contact method — email or phone. You can add a full client record with contacts and jobsites later.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set a follow-up date">
    Add a follow-up date so this lead surfaces again when you need to act. A lead without a next action tends to go cold.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save and start tracking">
    Click **Save**. The lead appears in the **Prospect** column. Drag it to a different stage whenever the relationship moves forward.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Moving clients through stages

Drag and drop a client card to a new column to update their pipeline stage. You can also open a client card and change the stage from the detail view.

Each stage transition is a good moment to add a note — what was discussed, what the next step is, or why the deal was lost. Notes per stage give your whole team the context they need for follow-up without having to reconstruct the conversation from memory.

## Follow-up dates and notes

Every client card in the pipeline supports:

* **Follow-up date** — A date when someone on your team needs to reach out. Clients with an overdue follow-up are highlighted so they don't fall through the cracks.
* **Stage notes** — Freeform notes attached to the current stage. Use these to capture what was discussed, what the client is weighing, or what you've promised to send.

<Warning>
  Follow-up dates don't trigger automated reminders by default. Check the pipeline board regularly or set up notification preferences to surface overdue follow-ups in your notification center.
</Warning>

## Filtering and searching the pipeline

Use the controls at the top of the pipeline view to focus on what matters:

* **Stage filter** — Show only clients in a specific stage (e.g., just your Active Negotiation column).
* **Search** — Find a client by name, company, or email address.
* **Saved views** — Save your current filter combination for quick access later.

## Connecting the client pipeline to estimates

The client pipeline tracks the relationship stage; the estimate pipeline tracks deal flow on specific bids.

<Tip>
  When a client moves into Active Negotiation, open their client record and start a new estimate directly from there. This keeps the estimate tied to the same client account and lets you see both the pipeline stage and the associated bids in one place. See [Sales Pipeline](/sales/pipeline) for how estimate stages work.
</Tip>

When a proposal is accepted, the client's stage doesn't automatically advance — you decide when to move them to **Won** based on your team's process. Some contractors move to Won when the contract is signed; others do it on first payment.

## Related pages

* [Clients](/clients/index) — Manage client relationships and contact info.
* [Communication](/clients/communication) — Centralize client emails and follow-ups.
* [Sales Pipeline](/sales/pipeline) — Track estimates through your deal flow.